


The Snow Prince

by mtothedestiel



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anal Sex, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic, Established Relationship, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, MILD - Freeform, Marriage, Nightmares, Oral Sex, POV Bucky Barnes, Pancakes, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Shower Sex, Smut, Storytelling, bucky uses some creative license
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 00:53:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3154724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtothedestiel/pseuds/mtothedestiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>or: Nora Barnes-Rogers needs a bedtime story.  Later, Steve likes to hear the grown-up version.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prince Steve and Sir Bucky

**Author's Note:**

> Behold, my ongoing fixation on Stucky kid!fic (also weird genre canon fic??) Anyways, this little story owes a debt and probably an apology to the Princess Bride. Bucky's story will eventually loosely retell all of the major points of CA: TFA and TWS. The general format will be story time with Bucky and Nora, followed by "grown up time" with Bucky and Steve.  
> In terms of canon, I'd place this story several years after the events of The Winter Soldier. Steve and Bucky are in semi-retirement in order to raise their adopted daughter and give Steve time to use his American icon status positively through political activism. Enjoy!

“I _can’t_ just go to sleep.  It’s _impossible_.”  Nora Barnes-Rogers throws herself down on her _Wizard of Oz_ bedspread dramatically.  Bucky follows his daughter, sprawling as best he can on the twin sized mattress.  That has a grin on Nora’s dimpled cheeks, at least.

Bucky is on unsteady footing here.  Bedtime is Steve’s thing.  He’s the king of stories and songs and little games that put Nora out like a light without any fuss.  Bucky’s the cool dad, who provides the goodnight kiss before Steve tosses Nora over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and drags her giggling up to bed. 

But Steve isn’t getting back from DC until late, and unless Bucky wants to greet his partner at the door with an exhausted, miserable four-year-old in tow, he’s going to have to buck up.  No pun intended.

“Papa,” Nora prompts him with saint-like patience, prodding his side with a chubby finger, “You gotta tell me a story.”

Oh jeez.  What would Steve do?  “Um, what kind of story do you want?”

“It’s gotta have magic.”

“Um, okay-“

“And princes.”

“Yeah, lemme just-“

“But there’s gotta be fighting too.  With swords!”

“Who’s tellin’ the story here, missy?” Bucky asks his excited kid, instigating a tickling match that Bucky may abuse his espionage skills to ensure ends with Nora tucked securely under her blankets, with Bucky Bear and Toto Dog close beside.

“And also a fairy godmother.” Nora is still breathless, but the smirk on her cherubic little face as she gets the last word is like looking in the mirror.  Bucky drops into the chair beside Nora’s bed, groaning under the weight of all his daughter’s demands, but secretly he’s relieved.  Magic, princes, sword fighting, fairy godmothers.  The list of specifications helps Bucky focus.  It’s like a mission, but with less danger.  And more toddlers.

“Alright, alright, it’s comin’ to me,” Bucky says, tucking the edges of Nora’s comforter in tight around her middle, “So there’s this kingdom, and they’ve got a swell prince.  Prince, uh, Steve…”

* * *

 

Steve was the crown prince of a magical kingdom.  His mom, Queen Sarah, was a fair and gentle ruler.  She was smart with money, she never lost her temper, and she always looked out for the kingdom’s children, even the rascally ones that were always getting into trouble. 

All the people loved Queen Sarah, but nothing could compare to how crazy they were for Prince Steve.  He looked just like his mom, with big blue eyes and gold hair.  He was a small, skinny little thing, but he was the most gorgeous guy you ever saw.

_“He was still gorgeous even though he was skinny and little?” Nora pipes up, “How’s that?”_

_“Anybody who’s anything can be gorgeous,” Bucky answers sagely, “Now hush.”_

Now what the people really liked about Prince Steve was his heart.  Prince Steve’s heart was bursting full of compassion, and bravery, and honesty.  No matter what he was doing, Prince Steve always had time to stop and help somebody in a tight spot.  He even got himself into trouble a couple of times, ‘cause he was always breakin’ up fights and telling off people who were mean and rude, but the people in the kingdom loved him for it.  He inspired everyone to try and be better.  Eventually, no one in the kingdom was ever mean or hateful to anybody, because all the people wanted to make Prince Steve proud.

_“See?” Bucky points out, “It’s what’s inside that counts.”_

_“Huh,” Nora agrees, considering, “Prince Steve kinda sounds like Daddy.  Only smaller.”_

_“Imagine that.”_

As much as his subjects loved him, there was nobody, _nobody_ , who loved Prince Steve as much as Sir Bucky.  Sir Bucky a knight of the realm.  He was a great swordfighter, and he wasn’t half bad looking either.  And he was Prince Steve’s best friend in the whole world.

Sir Bucky wasn’t royalty, like Prince Steve.  He was just a commoner whose family worked in the castle.  But Prince Steve didn’t care whether anybody was rich or royal or whatever, so he and Bucky spent their youth tear-assing around the palace, getting into trouble.  Prince Steve was always making a fuss when he thought somebody was being bullied, and Bucky was always there to make sure his friend didn’t get hurt.  Prince Steve, being so skinny, was always getting sick, and when that happened Bucky never left his side.  They promised each other when they were just kids that they would always be best friends, ‘til the end of the line.

Once they were a little older Queen Sarah started to notice Bucky’s love for Steve, not to mention his loyalty and bravery.  So Queen Sarah decided to make Bucky a knight, and from that day on he was known as Sir Bucky, with a mission to always protect Prince Steve from danger.  Sir Bucky took his vow very seriously.

When Prince Steve was a young man, Queen Sarah told him it was time to find his True Love.  Prince Steve was going to be king someday, and he would need someone at his side who loved him and could help him make smart decisions for his kingdom. 

Now Sir Bucky knew in his heart that nobody could love Prince Steve as much as he did.  Unfortunately Sir Bucky also had some self-confidence issues, because he was sure that somebody as beautiful and amazing as Prince Steve could never love a plain old knight like him, even if they were best friends. 

 _“But Prince Steve_ does _love Sir Bucky, right?”_

_“’Course he does.  Sir Bucky’s just a little slow on the uptake.”_

_“Whew,” Nora admits, clutching her Bucky Bear close, “I was worried there for a second.”_

So for the time being Sir Bucky kept his feelings secret and he made it his mission to help Prince Steve find his True Love.  The pair of them travelled the whole kingdom, and Sir Bucky introduced Steve to any dame or gent he could find.  They met rich noble lords and ladies, and technical wizards and business people, and even simple milkmaids and farmers and such.  Everywhere they went Prince Steve and Sir Bucky met a lot of interesting people, and made a lot of good friends, but nobody they encountered made Prince Steve’s heart flutter and glow.  Eventually Prince Steve started to wonder if he even had a True Love at all, and Sir Bucky started to wonder if maybe he needed to get brave and tell Steve how he really felt.

The real kicker that helped Sir Bucky make up his mind when Prince Steve looked at him, with his big sad eyes, and said it was okay if he never got to fall in love, because he had the love of everyone in his kingdom, and that was more than enough. 

Everyone in the kingdom _did_ love Prince Steve, but they loved him like flowers love the sun, kind of friendly and far away.  So in that moment when Sir Bucky found his courage and kissed his prince, right on the mouth, well Steve had never known anything so wonderful in his whole life.  And they both knew right that minute that Sir Bucky had been Prince Steve’s True Love all along. 

That day Prince Steve and Sir Bucky promised each other that they’d always be together, ‘til the end of the line, just like when they were kids in the palace.  Only this time they weren’t just kids messin’ around.  It was a real, genuine vow of love.

When they returned to the Queen’s castle hand in hand, the whole kingdom celebrated, because they had come to love Sir Bucky almost as much as they loved Prince Steve, and everybody was happy that they were finally gonna be together.  And Queen Sarah, who already thought of Sir Bucky as a second son, couldn’t have been happier with the prince’s choice.

So with Queen Sarah’s blessing it was decided that Prince Steve and Sir Bucky would get married, and live happily ever after.

_“That’s a pretty good story,” Nora says, eyes heavy with sleep._

_“Thanks doll.”_

* * *

 

Nora finally nods off when Bucky hears a rustle of fabric and turns to see Steve dropping his duffle in the doorway. 

“Steve.”  He keeps his voice low so he doesn’t wake up Nora.  “When did you get back?  I didn’t even hear you come in.”

“Just a few minutes ago,” Steve shrugs, tugging Bucky into a loose embrace, “I may have used some super soldier stealth.  Nora was so into your story, I didn’t want to get her worked up again.”

“You heard that?” Bucky asks, blushing.

“A bit,” Steve admits, dropping easy kisses onto Bucky’s face, “Like flowers love the sun, huh?”

“You makin’ fun of my storytelling, Rogers?” Bucky asks, giving Steve’s ass a warning pinch.

“No, I love it,” Steve argues, grinning into their kiss, “It’s very poetic.”

“Well I had to come up with something, since Bedtime Dad was MIA,” Bucky complains before burying his face in Steve’s neck, “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Seems like you did just fine,” Steve murmurs, rubbing Bucky’s back, “Let me say goodnight to Nora, then we should go to bed.”

“Can’t wait,” Bucky says, letting Steve move past him to give Nora a quick kiss, careful not to wake up their sleeping kid.  It’s barely nine, so when Steve says they should go to bed he’s either really exhausted from his trip, or Bucky Barnes is about to get laid.  The way Steve grabs his hand with a wink on the way to their master bedroom tells him it’s the latter.

“How was Washington?” Bucky asks as they slip out of their outer layers.  Steve’s dolled up in a shirt and tie, rumpled after a two flights and a day full of press on Capitol Hill.  He sheds his pressed slacks eagerly as Bucky tugs his sweatshirt over his head and lets his jeans fall around his ankles. 

“Political,” Steve shrugs, dropping his dress shirt to the floor before slinging his arms around Bucky’s neck, “Nothing to write home about.  I wanna hear more about Prince Bucky.”

“ _Sir_ Bucky,” Bucky corrects, stroking up and down Steve’s spine, “Hell of a knight.  Handsome, charming, and he’s got a thing for skinny do-gooder princes.”

“Hm,” Steve teases, grazing their hips together, “Sounds kinda familiar.  And I’ll bet ‘prince’ Steve’s got a real thing for knights in shining armor.”

Bucky bites his lip, enjoying the slow drag of Steve’s boxer clad groin against his own.

“Matter of fact, what Prince Steve’s _really_ crazy about is bein’ manhandled,” Bucky whispers, teasing the shell of Steve’s ear, “But he’s a prince, right?  So being rough with him is out of the question.”

Bucky drags his hands, flesh and metal, down Steve’s sides until his fingers are digging into the meat of his husbands thighs.

“So when Sir Bucky lifts Steve up and slams him against the wall like he weighs nothin’,” Bucky drawls, hefting Steve’s large frame easily and pressing him into the wall beside their dresser, “Well, Steve just _loses_ it, every time.”

Steve moans, getting one hand in Bucky’s hair so he can tug him in for a rough kiss. 

“Mm, just like that,” Bucky murmurs against Steve’s lips, “Steve goes nuts and they don’t come up for air ‘til they’ve both blown their loads.”

“Jesus,” Steve gasps, tugging at Bucky’s boxers, “Get me into bed and fuck me, Barnes.”

“You got it, Your Highness.”  Bucky dodges Steve’s playful smack and tosses his husband onto their king size mattress. 

“ _Shh_ ,” Steve urges, still grinning as innersprings squeal in protest, “You’re gonna wake up Nora.”

“Nuh-huh,” Bucky disagrees, liberating the lube from its hiding place in the bedside table, “Kid sleeps like the dead.  Just like her dad.”

“Well she snores, too,” Steve shoots back, shimmying out of his boxers, “Just like her pop.”

“That’s a dirty lie,” Bucky growls, pinning Steve to the bed to deliver retaliatory kisses.

Bucky doesn’t let up until Steve’s breathless and begging.  They’re both naked, and Bucky’s got his right hand fingers slicked up and teasing at Steve’s hole.  Steve loves his left hand, goes crazy when Bucky traces over his most delicate areas with his metal fingers, but it’s a pain in the ass to clean lube out of all the joints, so Bucky tends to save that for special occasions. 

“I swear to god, Buck, if you don’t stop foolin’ around,” Steve threatens feebly, trying to work himself down onto Bucky’s fingers.

“You need somethin’, baby?” Bucky presses a little harder, not enough to penetrate but enough to drive his husband up the wall.

“You’re a tyrant.” Steve’s writhing on the bed, chest spotted red with fading hickies and cock lying hard and heavy against his stomach.

“Never,” Bucky says, two fingers breaching Steve’s entrance without warning, “I live to serve, my liege.”

Steve arches under the strain of the sudden stretch, but manages to grit his teeth and spit out a smart comeback.

“You’ve been watching too much _Game of Thrones_.”

Bucky drags his two fingers across Steve’s prostate and that’s the last of the smart comments for a while.  Bucky loves to draw out prep; make Steve flushed and sweaty while he watches from above, braced on his metal forearm.  Steve’s thighs are spread wantonly and he’s clutching at Bucky’s lower back, occasionally reaching down to stroke at Bucky’s impatient erection, which seems to prove almost as much a tease for Steve as it is for Bucky.

“Need it,” Steve grunts, once Bucky’s working three fingers in and out of him easily, “Need you.  Buck.”

 Bucky’s just as eager.  He draws his fingers out slowly, drawing a long whine out of Steve.  He hooks his elbow under one of Steve’s muscled thighs while he slicks himself up, and he’s surprised when Steve uses the position to flip them so Bucky’s on his back.

“Like this,” Steve urges, pressing Bucky into the mattress and making to haul his thigh over Bucky’s middle.

“Oh yeah, ride me, baby,” Bucky moans, grin tugging at his lips, “You’re the prince, and I’m your mighty steed.”  Steve loses his balance laughing, and narrowly avoids kneeing Bucky in the groin.

“God, you’re awful,” Steve swears, climbing back onto Bucky’s lap.

“You married me.”

“What was I thinking?” Steve muses, lining himself up.  He sinks down onto Bucky’s cock, devastatingly slow, and they both get real quiet for a few seconds.

“Ugh,” Steve sighs at last, circling his hips, “Right there.”

Bucky can only pant and clutch at Steve’s thighs, always overwhelmed by the slick heat so tight around him.  Steve braces his hands against Bucky’s chest and levers himself up and back down slowly, head tipped back and mouth slack as he adjusts to the intrusion stretching him wide.

Bucky groans when Steve is fully seated again, his ass flush to Bucky’s hips and his fingers leaving small bruising prints against Bucky’s ribs. 

“Buck,” Steve breathes, leaning down to capture Bucky’s mouth as he works his hips up and down in small increments.  The kiss is loose and wet, Steve breaking off now and then just to rest his forehead against Bucky’s, his eyebrows drawing tight and relaxing again and he rises and falls onto Bucky’s cock.

“Help me out a little here,” Steve teases, rolling his hips again, and Bucky happily obeys, thrusting his hips up and drawing a loud yelp out of Steve.  They both freeze, looking to their closed bedroom door, then laugh when no noises are heard from down the hall.

“You’re gonna get into trouble one of these days,” Steve says, biting his lip as he sits up to really start moving on Bucky’s dick.

“Like I said, she sleeps like a rock,” Bucky replies, shuddering with the tight squeeze of Steve’s body, “’Sides, you asked for it.”

“You’re the worst.”

“You love me.”

“Yeah, I do.”  Steve is even more gorgeous than usual when he smiles, with his chest flushed, hair mussed, and ass stuffed full of Bucky’s cock.

“Back at ‘ya, gorgeous,” Bucky breathes, and Steve’s sigh of relief when Bucky wraps his hand around his cock is gonna fill up Bucky’s alone time fantasies for weeks. 

“Fuck,” Steve bites out, thrusting up into Bucky’s hand and planting himself back onto Bucky’s dick with exhilarating rhythm, “I’m getting close.”

“I’m with you.” Heat is swirling low in Bucky’s gut, and he tenses his jaw, trying to resist the urge to thrust up too hard.  Steve can take it, but the creaking mattress would be far too loud in the quiet house.  Instead he keeps his knees loose and focuses the head of Steve’s cock sliding in and out of his closed fist, pre-come leaking generously as Steve gets closer and closer to climax.

A twist of his wrist tips Steve over the edge and he comes, splashing Bucky’s chest with streaks of white.  Bucky follows when Steve shoves himself back hard on to Bucky’s cock with a gasp.  Steve, always tight, squeezes Bucky like a vice and Bucky’s shooting off, getting a grip on Steve’s hips while he pumps his husband full of come.  Steve keeps grinding on his lap until Bucky is soft enough to slip out, and they share a moony grin.

Steve collapses onto Bucky’s chest, nuzzling into Bucky’s neck as he comes down from the high.  Steve can’t get winded since the serum, but he gets an endorphin rush the same as anybody else. 

“I missed you,” Bucky admits, still drunk off his climax. 

“I was only gone for a day,” Steve teases, though he kisses Bucky anyway.

“I just told our kid a fairytale version of our first time,” Bucky says, “I think I’m entitled to a little sappiness.”

They clean up and slide into some pajamas, in case they have any four-year-old visitors during the night.  Steve snuggles Bucky close as soon as they’re back in bed, stroking through his hair, and just enjoying the touch they missed out on all day while Steve was in Washington.

“’Night Buck,” Steve murmurs, settling into his pillows. 

“Mm,” Bucky hums, nestling against his True Love’s chest, “Sleep tight, sweet prince.”


	2. The Skull King and the Fairy Godmother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic could also probably be titled "How many inconsequential lines can I steal from Peter Falk's character in The Princess Bride before someone notices??". Anyways, enjoy, and I love your comments!

It’s rolling around seven-thirty, and Steve has just executed a flawless bath time and pajama double play.  Nora’s reasonably cheerful, climbing into Bucky’s lap dressed in _Doc McStuffins_ pajamas, her dark braided hair drying in wispy curls around her ears. 

“It’s time for bed,” Nora declares with more enthusiasm than Bucky has heard from his daughter since she started talking in full sentences.  Steve, rounding the corner, seems at surprised as Bucky, his eyebrows practically disappearing into his hairline. 

“Um, yeah,” Bucky agrees, muting the news playing on the living room television, “I guess it is.”

“You gotta tell me the rest of the _story_ ,” Nora informs him, rolling her eyes, “You know, Prince Steve and Sir Bucky.”

“Whaddya mean?” Bucky asks, “They fell in love, everybody’s happy.  That’s it, chickadee.”

“No way,” Nora counters, throwing herself against Bucky’s chest, “People don’t just kiss and that’s _it._  More stuff’s gotta happen.”

“She’s got a point,” Steve tosses in, resting his elbows on the back of the couch, “Besides, last night you only made it to about what…nineteen thirty-eight?  You’ve still got a ton of material to cover.”

“And you’re cool with that?” Bucky asks, skeptical.  Once you get past the first kiss things don’t exactly get rosier for Prince Steve and Sir Bucky for a while.  Steve thinks it over before dropping a kiss onto Bucky’s mouth from over the back of the couch.

“I trust you,” Steve concludes, brushing Bucky’s long hair out of his eyes, “Besides, it all works out the in the end, right?”

“I guess,” Bucky agrees, tilting his chin up for another kiss, which Steve grants, “But it was your idea if this goes south.”

“Gross,” Nora adds, wrinkling her nose at her dads’ mushy display of affection. 

“Alrighty ma’am,” Bucky concedes, hiking Nora up on his hip as he gets up from the couch, “Kiss your dad so we can get this show on the road.”

Steve offers his cheek and Nora smacks a big kiss on it with a “Mwah!” for good measure. 

“’night kiddo,” Steve says, pressing his lips to Nora’s hair briefly before giving Bucky one more kiss as well, “I’m gonna take a shower.  Come find me when you’re done?” 

“You bet,” Bucky answers with a wink.  Steve grins, the slightest blush staining his cheeks. 

“Hey, no more kissing,” Nora commands, poking Bucky in the chest, “You gotta tell me what happens to Prince Steve.”

“Oh, _excuse_ me,” Bucky acquiesces to his demanding four-year-old, and Steve laughs as he heads for the bathroom, “Where did we leave off?”

“Steve and Sir Bucky were gonna get married,” Nora prompts as they make for her bedroom.

“Right, right…”

* * *

 

The thing is, sometimes when it seems like everything’s perfect, that’s when the rug gets ripped right out from under ‘ya.  Just as Sir Bucky and his prince were getting ready to get married, Prince Steve’s mother, Queen Sarah, well she got real sick.  Prince Steve did his best to take care of her, never leaving her sickbed, but even in a kingdom full of magic sometimes it’s just your time to go.  Queen Sarah died, but not before giving Prince Steve and Sir Bucky her final blessing, and reminding her son that it was his loving heart and brave soul that would make him a great king, not how well he could run or wield a sword. 

When the news came out, whole kingdom mourned, because in a way Queen Sarah had felt like a mother to everyone.  But nobody was sadder than Prince Steve.  His only consolation was his True Love, Sir Bucky, who never strayed from his side. 

Unfortunately it was soon after Queen Sarah’s passing that word began to spread through the land of a terrible wizard who had taken over the neighboring kingdom.  He was terrible and cruel, without a spark of humanity in him, and he used his magic to control people’s minds and make them do his bidding.  His heart was so lacking in human compassion that it made him horrible to look at, like a skeleton monster, so he was known as the Skull King. 

When word of the Skull King’s conquering reached the castle, Prince Steve and Sir Bucky felt a pang in their hearts, because they knew it was their duty to save the people of the neighboring kingdom, not to mention ensure the safety of their own.  Terrible men are never happy with just one victory.  They’re greedy, always looking to gobble up the next kingdom, and Prince Steve knew he had to protect his subjects from the Skull King and his evil spells.

As a knight, it would be Sir Bucky’s job to lead an army into the Skull King’s kingdom and battle the terrible wizard.  This was awful, not because Sir Bucky wasn’t brave enough or strong enough, because he definitely was, but because Prince Steve wouldn’t be able to go with his True Love.  Prince Steve, in addition to having responsibilities as crown prince which required him to be in the castle, was far too small and skinny to take part in a battle.  It hurt Prince Steve that even though his heart was full of bravery, he wouldn’t be able to ride into war beside Sir Bucky.  He would only be hurt, or killed, and his kingdom needed him to live and be a strong and wise King in the not so distant future. 

Prince Steve and Sir Bucky had a bad, uneasy feeling about being separated, but there was nothing to be done about it, so they both pretended to be much braver than they were when Prince Steve kissed Sir Bucky goodbye and watched him ride off to war.  Sir Bucky looked so handsome in his armor, he looked indestructible, or at least Prince Steve tried to convince himself.  Sir Bucky tried not to think of how small and lonely Prince Steve looked as he rode away, determined to fight his hardest and bravest so he could return to his happily ever after as soon as possible.

Maybe Sir Bucky fought a little too bravely, without enough smart thinking to go along with it, or maybe the odds were just stacked against him from the beginning, but it was only a short time after the knight arrived with his army in the Skull King’s lands that he was lured into a trap, and captured.  The Skull King took Sir Bucky to his evil fortress and locked him in the dungeon, never to see his True Love again.

_“Did he do evil spells on him?” Nora interrupts._

_“Uh…yeah,” Bucky, rapidly editing for four-year-old sensibilities, “Nothing too bad, but it wasn’t a party.”_

_“Did the Skull King turn his arm into metal?” Nora eyes Bucky’s own metallic limb suspiciously.  Bucky tucks his hand under Nora’s comforter, self-conscious in front of his slightly_ too _clever daughter._

 _“As a matter of fact he did not,” Bucky informs her._ That happens later _, he thinks to himself_.  _“Now listen up cause this is a good part.”_

When what was left of Bucky’s army finally made it back to Prince Steve with the news, well his heart just broke into a million pieces.  First his Queen mother had died, and now his one True Love and best friend was captured, maybe even lost forever. 

But this didn’t stop Prince Steve, oh no.  Despite still being as weak and skinny as ever, Steve was determined that he would rescue Sir Bucky.  Everyone tried to tell Steve no, that he was too small, that they didn’t even know where Sir Bucky was, that there was no hope, but Prince Steve remembered his mother’s words, and knew that if he could be brave enough that he would find a way to rescue his knight. 

At that moment, as Steve was getting ready to head for the Skull King’s castle all alone, a fairy godmother arrived on the scene.   The fairy godmother’s name was Peggy, and she was the most gorgeous dame you ever saw, with big brown eyes and lips redder than any apple. 

_“Was she Prince Steve’s fairy godmother?” Nora asks, eyes wide._

_“She was more of a free agent,” Bucky explains, “But she happened to be in the neighborhood.”_

And when she saw Prince Steve, who even with his broken heart was brave and kind and true, she was suddenly filled with so much pride and love that she knew she had to help him out.  So Peggy appeared to Steve in all her overwhelming beauty so that she could give him three magic gifts that would help him save Sir Bucky. 

The first thing was a shield that was unbreakable, so that Prince Steve would always be able to defend the people that needed him.  The second gift was a magical set of wings.  They were a one-time only deal, but they would transport Prince Steve to the evil kingdom where Sir Bucky had been captured in record time.  And the last gift, and this was the real showstopper, was a magic kiss.  It was a hell of a kiss, and Prince Steve felt it down to his toes, and all the way back up.  That magic kiss took all the great things that had always been inside of the prince and bam!  He was transformed.  All of Prince Steve’s courage and goodness had been multiplied times ten, and suddenly he was big and strong, strong enough to lift up ten knights in all their armor.

 _“Now Prince Steve_ really _sounds like Daddy,” Nora observes._

_“Yeah, I’m going with a theme here.”_

Peggy promised to keep an eye on Prince Steve’s kingdom while he rescued Sir Bucky.  Prince Steve kissed the fairy godmother’s hand, to thank her for her help and kindness, and then he picked up his shield and put on Peggy’s magic wings and he was off like a flash.

Thanks to Peggy’s magic Prince Steve was transported straight to the Skull King’s dungeon.  With his newfound strength and speed the prince managed to knock out all the guards before anybody could pull the alarm, and in the darkest and scariest part of the dungeon Steve finally found Sir Bucky.  Sir Bucky was chained up and dizzy, but he was alive and Prince Steve’s heart sang with joy and relief.  With his indestructible shield the prince broke Sir Bucky’s chains and carried his True Love back into the light of day.

Now Sir Bucky, who was a little out of it, well when he woke up to feel himself bein’ carried in a pair of big strong arms, he thought maybe he’d died, and Prince Steve was an angel come to carry him up to heaven.  But as soon as they were out of the dark dungeon Sir Bucky saw Prince Steve’s face and he knew he’d been rescued by his prince. 

Prince Steve and Sir Bucky were reunited, and now that Steve was just as strong and healthy as Sir Bucky, they promised each other that they’d never have to be separated again.

_“’Til the end of the line,” Nora emphasizes, hugging her Toto dog tight._

_“That’s right.”  Bucky strokes his daughter’s hair until she’s fast asleep._

* * *

 

Steam is still creeping out of the bathroom in sneaky tendrils when Bucky finally comes to find Steve.  He’s still dripping wet, nothing but a towel slung around his hips as he brushes his teeth.  Bucky takes a minute in the doorway to admire the muscles of his partner’s back, and his broad shoulders.  Steve and Bucky Barnes-Rogers.  Who could’ve imagined a jerk like him would ever have it this good. 

Steve spits, and catches sight of Bucky in the bathroom mirror, eyes lighting up. 

“How was the story?” Steve asks as Bucky comes in to slip his arms around his waist, ignoring the drops of water that soak into his shirt.

“Good,” Bucky mumbles into Steve’s shoulder, “We’re up to you bustin’ me out of Azzano.”

“That’s fun.  Prince Steve to the rescue?”

“My hero,” Bucky warbles, doing his best radio play falsetto, “How can I ever repay you?”

“Jesus, Buck,” Steve protests halfheartedly, rolling his eyes, “You sound like a bad blue film.”

“Hey,” Bucky admonishes, smacking Steve’s ass over his towel, “Fictional you just rescued fictional me from the evil Skull King.  I’m tryin’ to show some gratitude here.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Steve apologizes with a grin, “What did you have in mind?”

“How attached are you to stayin’ dry?” Bucky asks mischievously, dragging his hands down Steve’s chest from behind.

“I’ve got nowhere to be,” Steve says, flicking his eyebrows at Bucky in the mirror.

“Good,” Bucky drawls, “’Cause I could use a shower, and a big strong husband to keep me company.”

“By definition, I’m pretty sure we’re both the ‘big strong husband’ in this relationship,” Steve points out, turning as he drops his towel.

“Shh,” Bucky hushes, wrapping his arms around Steve’s bare waist as he claims his mouth.

If a nice hot shower feels like heaven, then Steve definitely has the hands of an angel as he helps Bucky wash his hair, working their mint and musk scented shampoo into his tangled tresses.  Of course Bucky’s more than capable of washing himself, thanks very much, but the touch feels nice.  This was the first nice touch Bucky had ever allowed from Steve, back when his mind was still a bomb waiting to go off and every movement seemed like a threat.  It was still a special thing between them, Steve dragging his sudsy fingers through Bucky’s long hair, keeping the soap out of his eyes, massaging his scalp and making Bucky shiver. 

“You’re so good at this,” Bucky breathes as Steve puts them both under the spray and works the soap out of Bucky’s locks. 

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” Steve says, chuckling as Bucky hums his pleasure, “Since somebodyI know got tired of military regulation trims.”

“Well somebody else here likes having something to hold onto in bed,” Bucky retorts, glancing at Steve over his shoulder with a smirk, “So it wouldn’t be as much fun if I went back to the high and tight.”

“We’d make it work,” Steve promises, kissing Bucky’s shoulders once they’re free of suds, “But we’d have to face Nora’s wrath if you deprived her of her braiding practice model.”

“Perish the thought,” Bucky says as he turns, sinking to his knees to take Steve into his mouth.  Steve’s fine with the sudden shift in focus, humming deep in his chest as Bucky starts sucking and licking at his stiffening cock.  Steve’s already halfway there, between the warm water and the intimate touching from earlier, but he hardens up nice and easy against Bucky’s tongue.  Not too fast, they’re in no rush, but not slow enough to make Bucky doubt his talents when it comes to his mouth around Steve’s dick.

Steve’s got his hands wrapped up in Bucky’s wet hair.  He never tugs, but there’s just a little tension against Bucky’s scalp and damn if it isn’t one of Bucky’s favorite things.  Bucky takes Steve deeper and groans his appreciation, sucking and swirling his tongue.

“ _Jesus_ ,” Steve curses as Bucky slides his lips up and down the length of his cock.  His eyes are clenched shut and Bucky preens, knowing Steve is struggling equally not to thrust into Bucky’s mouth or let his knees collapse under the sheer force of pleasure. 

“You getting close, gorgeous?” Bucky asks, pulling off to suck kisses into Steve’s lower belly while he jacks him off with his right hand, warm water still sluicing down their bodies.

“Yeah,” Steve admits, pink mouth slack, “You kinda took me by surprise.”

Bucky just grins against Steve’s hipbone, leaving a kiss there before licking a stripe up Steve’s cock and taking him back in all the way.  Bucky sucks, working his jaw and his throat to give Steve the very best suck job he can muster.  The piece de resistance, Bucky’s ace move, he saves till he knows Steve is right on the edge of coming.  When Steve is pulling Bucky’s hair a little tighter, twitching against his tongue, Bucky sucks hard, and drags two fingers of his left hand right up Steve’s perineum.  Steve chokes at the sudden touch of skin warmed metal just behind his balls, and he stiffens, flooding Bucky’s mouth with warm bitter come.  Bucky swallows what he can and spits the rest, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and staring up at Steve with his best debauched smirk. 

Steve’s barely got his breath back before he’s dragging Bucky to his feet and pinning him to the tile, wrapping his hand around his cock to return the favor.  Steve wrings him right out until Bucky’s practically in a puddle on the floor, moaning into Steve’s mouth as he comes all over his husband’s fist.  After that they gotta rinse off again, and they stay in the shower until the water starts running cold.

“So I guess you’re taking over bedtime for a while,” Steve mentions when their snuggled up in bed, warm and dry.

“I guess so,” Bucky answers, turning out the bedside lamp, “You jealous?”

“Nah.  I like it,” Steve murmurs, tracing a hand idly up and down Bucky’s chest, “You telling Nora our story.”

“It’s not the best story for a four-year-old sometimes,” Bucky mutters, letting Steve tuck him in close against his chest.  He feels Steve shrug, breath warm against the back of his neck. 

“It’s a good story,” Steve says, voice going low and sleepy, “And I’m glad Nora knows it.  At least some version.”

“Maybe,” Bucky agrees halfheartedly.  He closes his eyes and falls asleep to the sound of Steve’s breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a last note, it took me until today to figure out that The Snow Prince is my 50th fic on ao3! Who knew I'd make it this far.


	3. The Evil Spell and the Cigarette

“Papa?”  Nora takes his right hand and Bucky realizes he’s been staring into space.  “You okay?”

“Yeah, baby,” Bucky says, offering his daughter a reassuring grin, “I’m just trying to remember the story for tonight.” 

“Oh.  That’s okay,” Nora says graciously, “I know old people forget things sometimes.”

Bucky sputters while Nora tucks herself into bed.  “I’m not _old_.” 

“You’re a papa,” his daughter corrects him, “You’re old.  ‘sides, Aunt Natasha says you’re almost a hundred.  I can’t even _count_ that high.”   

“Thanks Nat,” Bucky mutters under his breath.  Nora’s watching him expectantly, eagerly awaiting another installment in the adventures of Sir Bucky and Prince Steve.  This is the part Bucky’s been dreading the telling of.  He knows better than anyone that it all works out, but that doesn’t make the remembering any easier. 

Bucky takes a deep breath.  It’s just a story.  It’s a story that, someday, when Nora’s older, Bucky wants to be able to share the real version of.  This is a baby step.   

“Can you keep holdin’ my hand?” Bucky asks Nora, perching next to her on her small bed, “This part of the story’s serious, and I might get scared.”

“I’ll protect you,” Nora promises earnestly, looking so much like Steve that Bucky has to laugh.

“I know you will, doll.”

* * *

 

Prince Steve and Sir Bucky had escaped the Skull King’s dungeons, but they still had a long way to go if they wanted to make it back to their own castle safe and sound.  With bravery and cleverness, they managed to sneak out of the evil castle and through miles and miles of dark and scary forests full of bad guys.  In no time at all, the pair had made it almost to the edge of the terrible kingdom, and just on the horizon they could see the blue skies and bustling cities of their own home.

But as you know, the Skull King was an awful, no-good wizard.  He _knew_ Prince Steve had rescued Sir Bucky; in fact he let it happen on _purpose_ , because he had an evil plan.  The Skull King waited until the Prince and his True Love were almost all the way home, so they would really believe they had escaped, before he did some terrible magic, and put a spell on Sir Bucky. 

_“No!” Nora cries out._

_“Yes,” Bucky confirms solemnly._

This spell was the most terrible, horrible thing you could ever imagine.  It made Sir Bucky disappear right before Prince Steve’s eyes.  He just faded away to nothing, like Prince Steve had never rescued him in the first place.  And even worse, what Prince Steve didn’t know was that the evil spell made Sir Bucky forget that he had ever loved Prince Steve to begin with.  The Skull King’s spell made Sir Bucky forget his own name, and the kingdom where he grew up, and how to feel anything good like love or happiness.  Sir Bucky’s heart was frozen solid, like a sharp piece of ice where all his good memories were supposed to be. 

Prince Steve, who didn’t know that Sir Bucky was back in the Skull King’s clutches, searched and searched for his True Love.  His heart was broken all over again, and he blamed himself for not being able to save Sir Bucky.  Prince Steve wouldn’t eat or sleep for days and days; he was so busy looking for Sir Bucky everywhere he could think of. 

Eventually he wore himself out so badly that Peggy, his free agent fairy godmother, caught wind of it, and decided that she had to intervene.  She found Prince Steve and brought him back to his own castle, which was sad and empty now without Queen Sarah or Sir Bucky.  Peggy made Steve lay down, and she gave him another kiss, this one soft and gentle on his forehead.  This magic kiss made Prince Steve fall into a deep sleep, so his broken heart and his worn out body could heal.

 _“That’s terrible,_ ” _Nora declares, climbing into Bucky’s lap with a pout, “I just want Prince Steve and Sir Bucky to be together and bad guys to stop doin’ mean stuff to them.”_

_Bucky sighs, rubbing his daughter’s back with his right hand.  “You and me both, kid.  You and me both.”_

* * *

 

It’s the first time since he started on this insane venture that Nora’s still wide awake when eight o’clock rolls around.  Problem is, Bucky’s out of story for the night.  He wants to just keep talking, get Prince Steve and Sir Bucky out of the woods, but the words just won’t come.  Nora’s weight is a comfort, but every time he blinks Bucky sees swirling white snow, and hears the whistle of a train. 

Nora’s getting antsy, wiggling in Bucky’s lap, and he tries to pull himself together, but he just can’t.  His left hand, the product of the “Skull King” and his “evil spells” is clenched in a fist at his side.  It’s nothing like what Bucky went through when he first broke his programming, but Bucky knows when to remove himself from a situation if he thinks he might be having a flashback. 

Thank the lord, Steve chooses that exact moment to pop his head into the room, and the minute he catches sight of Bucky’s tense frame he springs into action, picking Nora up from Bucky’s arms and tossing her in the air.  It causes an eruption of giggles, and works to break the tension in the room.  Nora’s already retelling the story to Steve, with her own embellishments, so Bucky can take a few deep breaths without her noticing.  Steve notices, but Bucky’s counting on that.

“That sounds like an adventure,” Steve responds to something in Nora’s winding narrative, “Why don’t we put a little music on, and you can tell me papa’s story until its bedtime?”

Nora scampers over to her small CD collection, considering each title carefully while Steve turns to Bucky with raised eyebrows. 

“Scale of one to ten?” Steve whispers, offering a gentle hand at Bucky’s elbow, there if he wants it but not smothering if he needs space.

“Not even on the scale,” Bucky reassures his husband, “I’m just gonna take a step outside.  You got this?”

“I’ll get her settled down,” Steve says, as Nora returns triumphantly with the record of her choice, “I’ll be in bed, after.”

“I’ll be in in a few,” Bucky promises, and he leaves the small bedroom, making a beeline for the outside balcony, by way of their kitchen junk drawer to pick up a lighter and his emergency cigarette stash.

It’s the last smoke in the pack, and Bucky eyes the empty carton as he lights up, stepping out into the brisk night air.  He makes sure the door is sealed.  Bucky doesn’t want smoke anywhere near Nora’s lungs, now that he knows what it can do to you if you’re not a super soldier.  It’s almost a miracle in itself how few cigarettes he’s had since they brought Nora home.  He’d bought this pack almost a year ago, pointing at the most contemporary, flashy brand he could find behind the counter of the local corner store.  The taste is thin, cheap, a little chemical, and exactly what Bucky needs to keep him in the present when he closes his eyes and sees flashes of moving trains and bloody snow.  The first time he’d bought himself cigarettes in the twenty-first century he’d gone for Lucky Strikes, like he’d remembered from the war.  A big mistake, he learned after enduring almost five hours of terrifying flashbacks. 

Now he knows better, and Bucky breathes the sharp smoke into his serum protected lungs, letting the soothing habit and the fresh air clear his head.  He’s home, it’s the year 2020, he’s married to his best friend and they’ve got a baby of their very own, and none of it would have happened if Bucky had never fallen off that train.  Bucky will smoke as many cigarettes as it takes to keep the panic attacks at bay, but he’d never go back and change it.  Not if it meant giving up Nora and Steve.  It’s a terrible, selfish thought, but Bucky’s made his peace with it. 

Feeling a little more settled Bucky finishes his smoke, washes out his ashtray and goes to his husband for some more tactile comforts.

* * *

 

Steve’s reading on top of the covers when Bucky finds him in their bedroom, their bedside lamp casting a warm glow in the space.  The gold light catches on the tips of Steve’s hair, and makes his eyes bright when he looks up from his book.  It’s _Game of Thrones_.  Heh.

Bucky tugs his shirt over his head before sliding into bed next to his husband.  Steve puts his book aside and leans on one elbow gazing down on Bucky benevolently.  His unoccupied thumb traces over Bucky’s brow, soothing the lines Bucky imagines are still etched into his forehead.

“Wanna talk about it?” Steve asks, still tracing Bucky’s brow, his jaw, the bow of his mouth.

Bucky pulls Steve on top of him, dragging his fingers, metal and flesh, through Steve’s short blonde hair.  Steve’s own brow wrinkles in concern, and Bucky tries for an easy smile to assuage his worries.  Already Steve’s warm weight pressing him down into the mattress was easing the leftover tremors of anxiety in Bucky’s system.

“Just,” Bucky asks, as Steve rests their foreheads together, “Remind me that we’re both here, and everything’s okay.”

Bucky’s eyes have fluttered closed but he’s not surprised to feel the brush of Steve’s lips against one eyelid, then the other.  Steve kisses his forehead, the arch of each cheekbone, the dimple of his chin. 

“Everything’s better than okay,” Steve murmurs into Bucky’s ear before placing the barest kiss against it, “We’re alive.  We’re healthy.  We’re together.” 

Steve kisses Bucky’s other ear.  The brush of his husband’s full mouth against the delicate shell is at once ticklish and arousing.

“We’ve got a safe, warm house,” Steve continues, kissing down the column of Bucky’s throat, “Good jobs.  Great friends.  One hell of a kid.”

Bucky opens his eyes to grin at Steve, who’s paused to suck a nice dark mark at the base of his throat.  Bucky gasps at the sharp nip of Steve’s teeth, then sighs with the soothing lathe of his tongue.  When he’s finished Steve rests his chin on his forearms, crossed over Bucky’s chest.  Steve admires his handiwork before his eyes flick back up to Bucky’s and he grins, the same crooked smirk Bucky remembers from 1938.  Steve leans up to drop one more kiss on Bucky’s mouth.

“I’d say this is about as good as it gets,” Steve concludes, _accidentally_ brushing a thumb over Bucky’s right nipple.  Bucky shivers, and uses his metal hand to tug Steve down for another, dirtier, kiss.  Lips smack and tongues drag until Bucky is anchored to the present by every inch of skin touching between them.  He pulls back, breathing heavily, eyes raking over Steve’s disheveled hair and kiss bitten mouth. 

“I love you,” Bucky says.  Steve smiles, then dives back in to make some more hot and heavy time.

Bucky winds up with his thighs over his husband’s shoulders.  Steve’s head is bobbing between his legs, his perfect pink mouth stretched around Bucky’s cock.  Bucky’s flesh hand is in Steve’s hair, his metal fingers he traces over his own chest, the tingling, cool sensation a shivery counterpoint to Steve’s ministrations.

Steve’s wet, eager sucking is pushing Bucky close to the edge too soon.  He doesn’t want this to end yet.  In fact, he wants more.  It takes some tugging, but Bucky manages to get Steve to pull off him so that Bucky can put a bottle of lube in his husband’s hands.  Steve stares at the half-empty bottle dumbly for a second before he looks at Bucky, pupils blown.

“You wanna-“

“Yeah,” Bucky breathes, letting Steve spread his thighs even further, “Fuck me good, baby.”

“I will,” Steve says, with all the determination of Captain America, and that makes Bucky laugh.  Steve blushes, and Bucky urges him back up to eye level for a heady kiss. 

“I know you will,” Bucky says after they part, savoring the taste of himself off Steve’s tongue, “Get to it, handsome.”

Steve grins, cracking the lid off the slick with an audible pop.  “Yes, sir.”

One of the few things better than Steve’s mouth on Bucky’s cock are his long, artist fingers in his ass.  Steve stretches and scissors, still bending down to kiss and lick at the head of his dick, keeping Bucky hard and impatient until his husband is satisfied with his preparation.  Considering the wholesome image Steve plays up for the public, he’s still the devious little shit Bucky fell in love with when they’re like this.  When Steve dips lower to mouth at his balls Bucky knows he’s gotta be the one to get this show on the road, or he’ll die of the waiting. 

Bucky rolls over onto his stomach, resting his head on his own pillow.  He tilts his chin so he can look back at Steve through slitted eyes.

“Any time you’re ready,” he teases, wiggling his hips enticingly.  Steve grips the backs of Bucky’s thighs, bending to place a reverent kiss at the base of his spine before stretching out to cover Bucky’s body with his own.  Bucky sighs happily when Steve settles over him; they’re in warm contact from Steve’s lips at the back of his neck to their tangled feet under the sheets.  Steve’s erection is pressed into the crease of Bucky’s ass and it’s the sweetest tease, the head catching at his rim only to slide away when Steve rocks his hips.

“Steve,” Bucky pleads.

“I’ve got you,” Steve murmurs into Bucky’s skin.  Then he’s reaching down, lining himself up, and Bucky moans into his pillow as Steve pushes into him in one long, steady slide. 

It’s been the same between them since nineteen forty-one, the temporary pain that leads to tingling, overwhelming pleasure, the warmth and safety of Steve’s oversized frame covering his own.  But it’s the details, the four hundred count sheets against Bucky’s skin, the smell of Steve’s Old Spice Sport cologne, the smooth glide of KY instead of greasy Vaseline, that keep changing, that keep Bucky grounded in the present.

“Oh god,” he curses, once Steve is fully seated inside him, “More.”

Steve groans as he pulls out and pushes in, a little harder.  His breath is warm in the crook of Bucky’s neck, one arm wrapped tight around his ribs, the other at his hip.  Secure, not constricting.

“Keep moving,” Bucky orders, and Steve eagerly obeys.  Bucky grinds back against Steve this time, gasping.  The stretch in his ass is becoming less of a strain, and each thrust grinds Bucky’s renewing erection against their firm mattress, sending an additional swirl of heat into his belly.

“So good,” Steve pants into Bucky’s ear, “So tight.  You’re incredible.  ‘love you, Buck.”

“ _Steve_ …”  Bucky grins around a moan as Steve gets into a rhythm, accentuating every delicious thrust with a string of breathless praise.  Steve always gets a little chatty when he tops, and Bucky loves it, basking in Steve’s love struck glow.

Steve braces both hands on Bucky’s hips to give his next push a little extra force, and it pushes the head of Steve’s cock against Bucky’s prostate with a jolt of pleasure. 

“Fuck,” Bucky pants, “Can you do that again?” Steve tries again, and again, fucking into Bucky with hard strokes.  About every third thrust dings Bucky’s prostate again and he has to bury his face in his pillow to muffle his shameless groans.

“Just like that,” Bucky whimpers, forcing himself back onto Steve’s cock over and over, “Perfect, Stevie.”

Steve rests his forehead between Bucky’s sweaty shoulder blades, hands still gripping his hips with force that pushes the line of pleasure and pain.

“Now I remember why we had to get rid of our headboard,” Steve mutters against Bucky’s skin, grin curling his mouth as he kisses down Bucky’s spine.

“Wha-“  Bucky’s too deliciously fucked out to understand his husband’s non-sequitor.  Steve’s answer is a thrust makes Bucky see stars, and rocks the whole bed frame, thumping the mattress harmlessly against the wall.  If you took a good look at the sheet rock you could see the seam of a patch under their latest coat of paint, in the exact shape of their former headboard.  It had been a classy hardwood piece that Steve had literally slammed through the wall fucking Bucky into their steel reinforced bed.

“Oh yeah,” Bucky muses, grinding down against the mattress with a sigh of relief, “Good times.” 

“Need a hand?” Steve asks, and boy does Bucky ever.  Steve slides one of his wide palms around Bucky’s hip until his fingertips are grazing the base of his cock, but the space is too narrow for any real action.

“Lemme get my knees under me,” Bucky grunts, pushing up onto his elbows, “Then you can have at it.”

“Mm, can’t wait,” Steve rumbles, scraping his teeth over the knob of Bucky’s spine.  When Bucky lifts his hips it changes the angle of Steve’s steady thrusts inside him, dragging against Bucky’s prostate with maddening frequency.  When Steve finally gets his hand on Bucky’s dick, stripping frantically as their thighs slap together, Bucky’s gotta bite his lip and recite baseball scores to keep from blowing his load too soon.  It’s a surprise when Steve’s the one who stiffens, driving into Bucky as deep as possible before stilling with a broken groan. 

With Steve panting, dead weight against his back, Bucky doesn’t feel bad about letting go himself, and when he wraps his metal hand around Steve’s and gives himself one good stroke, it’s over.  Bucky spills with a long, shaky exhale, painting their hands white while Steve whines against the back of his neck as Bucky tightens around his oversensitive cock.

They fall apart, Bucky wincing as Steve leaves him empty and slick.  His husband makes up for it by tugging him close, pressing kisses across Bucky’s face and into his mussed hair.  They wipe their sticky hands on the sheets and enjoy the moment of quiet before they have to clean up.  Steve’s humming tunelessly, stroking over Bucky’s thighs.  Bucky drags his clean fingers through Steve’s hair, grinning like a fool.

“Okay, big guy?” 

Steve smiles into the crook of Bucky’s neck, love drunk.

“I’m swell,” Steve says, leaning up on one elbow to eye Bucky carefully, “How are you?”

Bucky tugs Steve down for a brief kiss, pressing their foreheads together.

“Peachy,” Bucky answers, and ain’t that the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed it! Your comments inspire me (and help me write quicker ;)) !


	4. The Winter Knight and the Snow Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, the final chapter (for now!) hope you enjoyed the fluff and smut in equal measure.   
> Also, a brief note: Peggy's final appearance in Bucky's story stems from my own headcanon that Peggy would have been the one to use her political influence in order to help Bucky and Steve adopt Nora!

“P-papa?”

Bucky’s arrival to consciousness is sharp, urged by Nora’s hitching whisper.  She’s clutching her Bucky Bear, eyes wide and tearstained at the edge of the bed.

“Chickadee?”  Bucky’s eyes are sweeping the room for threats, and he catches sight of the bedside alarm clock.  It’s a little after three.  “What’s wrong?”

Nora’s bottom lip trembles.  “I had a bad dream.”

Concern about outside threats slip from Bucky’s mind as he quickly gathers his daughter close, pulling her up onto the mattress and into his embrace.  Nora whimpers into his t-shirt for a few moments, and Bucky feels a few tears soak into the worn cotton.  Beside him, Steve lies very still, but Bucky can tell his husband is awake, ready to assist if need be.  Bucky feels a little glow that Steve trusts him to soothe Nora on his own, though he’s still glad to have him on deck if they need a little extra snuggle power.

“Shh,” Bucky murmurs, pressing his lips to Nora’s dark hair, tangled and mussed from sleep, “I’m here, baby.”

“The Skull King made you and Daddy disappear,” Nora mutters into his shirt, clinging tightly, “Just like Sir Bucky.”

This was exactly the sort of reaction that Bucky was afraid of.  He couldn’t exactly tell Nora that her nightmare was impossible.  It had already happened, and Bucky still had nightmares about it himself.  Bucky scrolls through his own mental list of coping mechanisms, until he thinks of one that might work for Nora.  He settles her into the bed, between him and Steve, and opens up his arms.

“Here, poke me,” Bucky offers, and Nora gives him a nice jab in the chest, a hint of a smile curling her cherubic mouth, “See, I’m solid as can be.  Now try Daddy.”

Nora peers over at “sleeping” Steve, and back to Bucky, as if to make sure this was something she was allowed to do.

“Go ahead,” Bucky encourages, “He won’t wake up.  He sleeps like a rock.”

Bucky can imagine Steve’s dry expression, hidden by his turned back and the darkness of the room.  But he plays his part, staying perfectly still even as Nora gives him a sharp poke in the ribs.  Bucky imagines he’ll pay for that through some torturous method the next time they get up to grown up hi jinks, but that’s what keeps things interesting. 

“You’re both real,” Nora concludes, looking relieved.  

“That’s right, we’re one hundred percent here,” Bucky promises, “And no nasty Skull King can ever make us disappear on you.  Do you think some dumb old wizard could take out your Daddy without a fuss?”

“Can the Skull King lift up the sofa without even trying like Daddy?” Nora asks, considering.

“Definitely not,” Bucky assures her, “I happen to know for a fact that without his magic the Skull King is just a weak old man.”

“Oh.  Good.”

“And how about me?” Bucky asks, flexing his metal arm, which makes Nora laugh, “All this steel isn’t just for opening jars, you know.”

“You are a very strong papa,” Nora agrees, “You and Daddy could probably kick the Skull King’s butt.”

“That’s right,” Bucky confirms, “Do you feel better now?”

“Yeah, lots,” Nora says, though her fingers toy nervously with the bedspread, “Do you think though, just in case, maybe I can stay with you and Daddy tonight?”

“Of course, chickadee.”  This is why he and Steve always change the sheets after they get up to any heavy duty shenanigans, a lesson learned the hard way when Nora was two and Steve had had to spend the night on her tiny twin size mattress because _their_ sheets still had… ahem… _stains_.

Bucky pulls the extra blanket up from the end of the mattress, and tucks Nora in between him and Steve, over their covers. 

“Warm and toasty?” Bucky asks when they’re all settled in.  Nora nods, snuggling in close against Bucky’s chest.  Steve’s breathing deep again, probably on his way back to sleep, and Bucky could use a few Z’s himself, except he can tell by the wiggling of Nora’s toes that she’s not ready to settle down yet.

“Papa?”  There it is.

“Yeah, Nora?”

“Does Prince Steve sleep forever?”

“Nope.  He sleeps for a long time, but not forever.”  May as well bite the bullet… “Would it help you fall asleep if you heard the rest of the story?”

“Yes,” Nora whispers, and immediately she goes still and attentive.

“The story,” Bucky preludes, hesitant, “It’s gotta get a little more scary before it gets better.”

“Does it end happy?” Nora asks, shrinking into Bucky’s side.

“It does,” Bucky swears, “I promise you, baby.  You just gotta be brave for a little bit, okay?”

Nora’s tiny fingers interlace with his metal ones.

“Okay,” Nora agrees, “Just like Prince Steve.”

“That’s my girl.”

* * *

 

Prince Steve was still under an enchanted sleep in his castle when word started to spread through the kingdom of the Skull King’s conquering.  Without anyone brave like Prince Steve or Sir Bucky to battle him, the Skull King had taken over all of the surrounding kingdoms, and now he was on his way to steal Prince Steve’s kingdom too.  This, of course, had been the terrible Skull King’s plan all along, to break Prince Steve’s spirit and leave his people defenseless.

The worst part was terrible new soldier who had been leading the Skull King’s armies.  He was scary and vicious, with no mercy in his frozen heart or his razor sharp sword.  The soldier wore pitch black armor, and they said he never took it off, even to sleep.  No one knew the soldier’s true identity.  Some said there wasn’t a person in the armor at all, and it was just an empty suit that the Skull King had enchanted to slay his enemies.  Between the terror that he instilled and the cold black shine of his armor, the people called him the Winter Knight.

With the threat of danger at their doorstep, the people called out to Prince Steve for help, and he finally awoke from his long sleep.  Prince Steve’s body was healed, though his heart was still heavy with loneliness.  But even though Sir Bucky was lost to him, Prince Steve had a duty to his people.  He had to put aside his mourning in order to do his job as the kingdom’s future king.  It was his job to protect it and so even with his broken heart he picked up his shield and went to meet the Winter Knight in battle. 

The Winter Knight was waiting right on the edge of Prince Steve’s kingdom, with a terrible army ready to invade.  Prince Steve knew he didn’t have enough manpower to defeat an army that big, so to try and save his people the prince challenged the Winter Knight to a fight, one on one. 

The Winter Knight didn’t say a word, but he got down from his horse and drew his sharp sword.  His armor was as black as night, and every edge was sharp and jagged.  Prince Steve didn’t even have armor, just his magic shield and his courage.  Still, when the Winter Knight attacked, Prince Steve fought back with all his might. 

They were evenly matched in strength and speed, and they wore each other out fighting for almost an hour, before Prince Steve got in a lucky hit and knocked the Winter Knight’s helmet off.  When he saw the Winter Knight’s true face, Prince Steve was so shocked he almost fell over.

His skin was pale and sickly, and his blue eyes were flat, and far away, as though he couldn’t even see Prince Steve at all.  But even with his heart frozen, and wearing the armor of the Winter Knight, Prince Steve would have recognized Sir Bucky anywhere. 

The evil Skull King had turned Sir Bucky into the Winter Knight, enchanting away his memories, and his identity, but leaving all of Sir Bucky’s skill for strategy and sword fighting.  The Skull King had made Sir Bucky into a weapon, so that he could turn him against Prince Steve.

And for a minute there, it seemed as though the Skull King had won, because when Prince Steve saw the face of his True Love under the Winter Knight’s black helmet, he dropped his shield.

 _“He dropped his shield?” Nora interrupted, “Is he_ nuts _?  He’s gotta have that!”_

_“Prince Steve was always nuts when it came to Sir Bucky,” Bucky reminded her, “True Love makes people do crazy things.”_

See, when Prince Steve saw Sir Bucky, alive when he’d thought for sure he was lost forever, it filled Prince Steve’s heart with hope.  Where most people might find their True Love fighting for the enemy and feel betrayal, Prince Steve felt such enormous joy and relief that he put down his shield without a second thought.  The fact that the Winter Knight didn’t recognize him stung, but Prince Steve knew without a doubt that Sir Bucky could _never_ try to hurt him, and that he must be under a spell.  And spells could always be broken.

So Prince Steve stopped fighting, and he offered himself to the Winter Knight’s sword.  He reached out to Sir Bucky, not in violence but with all the love he held for him in his soul, and it filled the Winter Knight with rage, because Sir Bucky’s spirit, locked inside the Winter Knight’s body, started to fight back against the Skull King’s spell.  Sir Bucky even managed to force the Winter Knight to throw away his sword, so he couldn’t kill Prince Steve.  Still, the Winter Knight had magic strength from the Skull King just like Steve had strength from his fairy godmother, and he knocked him down with a steel fist.  But Prince Steve wouldn’t fight back.  His head hurt where the Knight had hit him but for the first time in forever his heart was whole again, and Prince Steve wouldn’t be defeated by meanness or cruelty. 

The Winter Knight kept hitting him, over and over, but Prince Steve just wrapped the Winter Knight’s cold metal fist in his warm hand, and he promised him, just like when they were kids, and young men in love: Prince Steve would always love Sir Bucky, to the end of the line.  And with the last of his strength Prince Steve leaned up and kissed the Winter Knight, right on the mouth. 

And that kiss, well it packed a punch.  See it was a True Love’s Kiss, and good, pure magic like that, it’s way too powerful for any evil magic to withstand.  There was a sound, like a gunshot, and it turned out it was the ice in Sir Bucky’s heart cracking in two.  Prince Steve’s kiss broke the spell the Skull King had put on Sir Bucky. The Winter Knight was no more, and in his place was the brave and true Sir Bucky, kissing Prince Steve back for all of his worth right there on the battlefield. 

Now when True Love’s kiss broke the spell on Sir Bucky, it broke the Skull King’s magic too.  All the people who the Skull King had been controlling, well they woke up like they’d been taking a nap.  And all the bad guys the Winter Knight had been leading to invade Prince Steve’s kingdom looked around and realized they didn’t give a hoot about taking over somebody else’s kingdom.  Now that they were free they just wanted to go home to their own families and fix all the terrible things the Skull King had been doing while he was in power.  They went home, and locked the Skull King in his own dungeon, never to emerge for the rest of his day.

Reunited at last, and the kingdom safe, Prince Steve and Sir Bucky went home too.  Sir Bucky took care of Prince Steve’s injuries, in fact he never left his side until he was back to full health, just like how Sir Bucky used to take care of Prince Steve when he was little and sick.  Every night Sir Bucky cried at Prince Steve’s bedside, he felt so guilty for the things he had done as the Winter Knight and for hurting his True Love.  And every morning Prince Steve would kiss the tears away from Sir Bucky’s cheeks and tell him that he loved him and that he wasn’t to blame for the evil Skull King’s magic.  Eventually, as Prince Steve’s wounds healed, so did the ones Sir Bucky carried in his heart, at least enough that he was finally able to say yes when Prince Steve asked Sir Bucky to marry him, once and for all.

And let me tell you, there was never a more perfect day than the day of Steve and Bucky’s wedding.  The sun shone, warm and bright and everybody who could make it showed up to celebrate their prince’s special occasion.  They arranged it to have Steve’s coronation on the very same day, so that morning Prince Steve became King Steve, and his husband became Prince Bucky.  And you never saw two jerks happier than those two were to finally trade vows and be bound together in marriage, ‘til the end of the line.  Prince Bucky cried like a baby, and he didn’t feel a lick of shame.  And when they shared their first kiss as married men, all the people cheered so loud it shook the rafters.

And the kingdom never saw a ruler as kind, fair, and good as King Steve.  With Steve in charge nobody ever went hungry or went without nice warm clothes in the winter or medicine when they were sick.

Steve’s reign was such a time of happiness and prosperity that a few people even started calling him the Summer King, but it never really caught on, because even though he was the ruler of the land, everyone who mattered still remembered him as the small, brave, loving Prince Steve.

_“What did they call Prince Bucky?” Nora asks, “He wasn’t the Winter Knight anymore.”_

_“Sometimes he still felt like the Winter Knight,” Bucky confesses._

_“Even though he found his True Love?” Nora looks stricken._

_“Yeah, honey,” Bucky murmurs, holding his daughter’s hand, “Even though.”_

So they called him the Snow Prince, because even though True Love had broken the evil spell, Prince Bucky still had to deal with the cold left over in his heart by the Skull King’s magic.  But because of King Steve’s love Prince Bucky was warmed up enough that his heart wasn’t like ice anymore, just a soft snow, like the stuff that falls right before Christmas.

“ _That’s not so bad, I guess.”_

_“It’s not bad at all,” Bucky agrees, “Sir Bucky thinks he got off pretty lucky.”_

_“Did they live happily ever after?” Nora asks, getting sleepy at last.  Bucky holds his daughter’s hand while his husband sleeps soundly beside them._

_“They definitely did,” he assures her, “Especially after what happens next.”_

King Steve and Prince Bucky loved each other so much, it became a legend in their kingdom.  People told the story of the small, skinny prince and his loyal friend, and the story of the Winter Knight and True Love’s Kiss.  But they’re favorite part of the story was what happened a few years after Prince Bucky and King Steve got married. 

The kingdom was in perfect harmony.  Steve was doing a great job as king, and every day Prince Bucky was smiling a little more, laughing a little more, and feeling a little more like his old self.  The pair were exquisitely happy.  They thought it was impossible to hold any more love in their hearts.  It turns out they were wrong. 

Peggy the Fairy Godmother decided to pay them one last visit.  This time when she appeared, her hair was sparkling silver, and her beautiful brown eyes were lined and wise.  In her hands she held a golden flower seed.  She gave the seed to King Steve and Prince Bucky, placing it in their joined hands.  Peggy told them that if they gave the seed Love, and cared for it, that it would bring them even more happiness than they dared imagine.  King Steve thanked her and both men promised that they would cherish her last gift forever. 

Peggy’s words came true.  The love in King Steve and Prince Bucky’s hearts was so overflowing that in no time at all the seed sprouted, and grew into a beautiful forget-me-not plant.  But this was no ordinary flower.  It was gigantic, as big as a rocking chair, or a baby’s cradle.  And when the first blue blossom opened up to the light, inside it was nestled a perfect, gorgeous baby girl, with brown eyes and dark, curly hair.  King Steve and Prince Bucky fell in love instantly, and they took the baby to be their daughter, and princess of the realm.  And just like Peggy said, they were happier than they ever could have dreamed of. 

_“And do you know what they named the baby?” Bucky asks slyly.  Nora blinks at him with a sleepy smile._

_“Nora Rebecca Barnes-Rogers.”_

_“That’s right, baby.”_

And they all _definitely_ lived happily ever after.

* * *

 

It’s a good thing the next morning is Saturday, because when Bucky finally blinks awake, Nora still curled into his side, the bedside clock is flicking from ten twenty-nine to half past.  Bright morning light is streaming through the windows, and Bucky can hear and smell the heady sizzle of bacon coming from the kitchen.  Bucky stretches, groaning at the crack of his spine and the whir of his metal arm before nudging Nora awake. 

“Morning sweetheart,” Bucky murmurs, “Time to get up.  I think Daddy’s making breakfast.” 

Nora grumbles, tucking her tiny frame into the warm blankets, but she does open one curious eye at the mention of food. 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Bucky coaxes, fumbling on his nightstand for a couple of hair ties, “Let’s go get some bacon.”

Bucky pulls his messy hair back into a low bun, then at Nora’s insistence does the same for her so that they can be “twins”.  By the time Bucky’s done wrestling his daughters lush hair into the elastic band she’s awake at least, and together they make their way to the kitchen. 

Steve is indeed cooking away, a plate of bacon already on the table while he mixes pancake batter, wiping Bisquick on his Captain America pajama bottoms. 

“There’s my two favorite people,” he greets them, with a kiss for each, “Everybody sleep okay?”

“Like a princess,” Nora declares, hugging Steve’s leg. 

“I see.” Steve gives Bucky a grin over their daughter’s head.  “Can you do me a favor and put some forks on the table, baby?”

Bucky wraps his arms around Steve from behind while Nora carefully extracts the proper utensils from the silverware drawer.

“I may have created a monster,” Bucky admits, dropping a kiss on Steve’s shoulder.  Steve hums while he pours batter onto their electric griddle.

“I think we can handle it,” Steve chuckles, turning to Bucky for another light kiss, “Everything good with Prince Steve and Sir Bucky?”

“King Steve,” Bucky corrects, “We’ve been properly coronated.”

 “That’s nice,” Steve muses, grinning, “It’s good to be the king.  And you’re king too?”

“Prince,” Bucky informs him, lowering his voice to a whisper so Nora won’t hear, “’Prince consort’, if you wanna get technical.”  Steve’s gaze goes hot for a second.

“That sounds like fun,” he murmurs back, “You’ll have to tell me more about it later.”

Bucky slides his hand down Steve’s chest to toy with the elastic of his husbands sleep pants.  “Don’t worry handsome, you’re gonna hear all about it.”

Steve’s about to answer when their daughter makes her breakfast demands known from the kitchen table.

“No more gross kissing!” Nora chimes from behind them, “It’s time for pancakes!”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” both men shoot back at the same time.  They laugh, and Bucky steals one more kiss from Steve just to be obstinate.  Steve goes back to flipping pancakes, whistling something cheerful, while Bucky sets the bacon on the table and pours everybody juice.

Once the pancakes are cooked and distributed with maple syrup, Bucky sits down to breakfast with his family in his sunny kitchen.  And as Nora animatedly tells Steve about her new princess status, and Steve tangles his ankles casually with Bucky’s under the table, Bucky muses that you don’t really need a fairy tale to get your happily ever after, after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I had so much fun writing this fic. Shout out to the "Into the Woods" soundtrack for getting me inspired for the last few fairy tale sections. Let me know what you think :D


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